Remembering
by Sophie Temrer Rimmer-Artley
Summary: Rimmer, newly prepared to be Ace, ends up in a familiar place...


**AN: This is a fic I came up with while reading 'Not A Good Day' by cazflibs and listening to Boulevard Of Broken Dreams by Green Day, so thanks for the inspiration Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool and cazflibs! Enjoy!**

He didn't quite know where he was. He was dazed, confused, and most of all, alone. There was nobody around him. Somehow though, this place felt like home. Like he'd meant to end up here all along. Like this was the only place he'd known. The sleeping people in the houses and flats didn't know he was there. He couldn't walk the streets in daylight. He would only draw attention to himself. And that was the last thing he wanted. He was still getting used to this new character, the new person he'd had to become.

Suddenly and quite unexpectedly, it clicked.

Arnold Rimmer remembered this place.

It had been many, many years ago when he'd come here, on a day trip with his awful family, aged seven...

_*flashback*_

"Arnold? Ar-nold! Where have you gone?"

"Leave him Mum, he'll be back when he's hungry."

"You're right Frank dear. Howard, leave John alone!"

Seven-year-old Arnold J. Rimmer could hear the voices of his family, but he wasn't turning back. He was sitting cross-legged in a bush, right at the edge of the park. All around him was nature. Leaves, insects, spiders webs... it all fascinated him. Suddenly there was a tiny rustling nearby, and out hopped a wren. Arnold held his breath. He'd never seen a wren before, let alone up this close. He couldn't believe he'd left his camera at home. Suddenly there was more rustling. Thankfully the wren didn't seem to notice, and continued to peck around.

"Oh, that's a wren!" whispered a voice beside him.

"Ah!" he gasped quietly, clutching his chest. He turned around and came face-to-face with a young girl of around his own age, with green eyes, shocking red hair scraped into pigtails and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She smiled, showing teeth covered by braces. Arnold looked in surprise at them, reaching out a finger and prodding the metal.

"Hey, don't poke my braces!" she complained, settling herself beside him. "My daddy paid a lot of money for me to get these. I want to have straight teeth by the time I'm eleven."

Arnold didn't know what to say to that, so he looked back at the wren.

"It's so pretty..." the girl said, transfixed. The wren looked up at the two children, then hopped nearer, pecking it's delicate beak on Arnold's bare knee.

"That tickles!" he said under his breath, trying not to laugh. The wren hopped onto Arnold's arm and up to his shoulder.

"It really likes you." the girl smiled. The wren made its way over Arnold's head and onto the girl's outstretched finger. She reached out with her other hand and stroked the soft plumage on the little bird's back. It seemed to enjoy the attention for a moment, then it flew away. Arnold and the girl watched it go.

"Wow." Arnold said, still in hushed tones.

"We don't have to whisper now, silly, it's gone." the girl replied. "What's your name? Mine's Susie. Susie Brown." she said.

"I'm Arnold Rimmer." he told her.

"It's nice to meet you." Susie said, extending a hand. Arnold took it hesitantly and shook it slowly, marvelling at the sensation of the touch, the kind of touch he got so little of at home.

"Susie! We're leaving!" shouted a male voice.

"That's my dad. I have to go home now. Come visit me, I only live across the street from here, in the house with three chimneys!" Susie smiled.

"OK, I will someday." Arnold said. Susie leaned across and gave Arnold a sweet kiss on the cheek, then jumped up and scampered away. Arnold looked out of the bush and watched her join her father. He ruffled her hair, put an arm around her and they began to walk away. Arnold sighed. If only he could feel the warmth of a father's love...

"Arnold!" came his own father's shout, like a frozen echo of Susie's father's call. Suddenly he was dragged out of the bush by the back of his collar. "There you are! We've been looking everywhere, you rascal! Get back to the car now!" Arnold obeyed, hurrying to the car. As they drove away, he looked out of the back window at the house with three chimneys, and vowed one day to return, however far into the future.

_*end flashback*_

Rimmer suddenly knew what he had to do. He grabbed a newspaper abandoned in the street. He breathed a sigh of relief. This dimension was the right one all right. Right place, right year, right date. Susie would be his age. But would this Susie know him? Did this Susie meet him in the bush all those years ago when they were both seven years old?

He knew there was only one way to find out. He walked with a purpose towards that park he had been to, then looked across the street. He immediately spotted the house with three chimneys and walked up the path, raised a hand and knocked on the door. He tugged the ridiculous Ace wig off and waited anxiously. The door swung open, and he was greeted with the same green eyes, the same red hair, the same freckles. His heart leapt.

"Susie Brown?" he asked politely.

"Yes. Can I help you?" she asked warily.

"A long, long time ago I said I'd come visit you someday." Rimmer grinned. "Remember the wren? Got the teeth straight I see." He watched her eyes widen in recognition.

"Arnold? Arnold Rimmer?" she gasped.

"Yes, it's me."

"This is incredible!" she laughed, throwing her arms around him. He returned the hug. "We've got so much to talk about. Come on in."

Rimmer stepped inside, and felt the loneliness wash away.

He felt accepted.

**N'awwr! Review please!**


End file.
